Moistener for envelops



W. M. MOSELEY. MOISTENER FOR ENVELOPs, m.

2 She etsSheet 1.

(No Mod e1.)

No. 595,491. Patented Dec. 14, 1897.

* U ITED- STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

WILLIAM M. MOSELEY, OF ELGIN, ILLINOIS.

MOISTENER FOR ENVELOPS, 80c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,491, dated December 14, 1897.

Application filed March 20, 1895. Renewed May '7, 1897. Serial No. 635,603. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM M. MosELEY,

of Elgin, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Moisteners for Envelops and the Like; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for moistening the flaps or corners of envelops, wrappers, and the like preparatory to scaling or stamping the same or for moistening stamps or labels for the purpose of causing the gummed surfaces thereof to become adhesive, so they will adhere when aplied. p The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction in moistening devices of the character referred to; and it consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and par ticularly pointed out in the appended claims. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a moistening device embodying my invention in one form. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional elevation taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 4 is an axial section of the roller removed from the cup. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the core of the roller without the wick or felt covering, the washer being in section. Fig. 6 is an end view-of the said roller. Fig. 7is a central sectionalelevation of a form of the device somewhat modifiedfrom that previously shown. Fig. 8 is a transverse section taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of another modification. Fig. 10 is a transverse section on the line 10 10 of Fig. 9. Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a modified form of the moistening-roller. Fig. 13 is a detail of the end washer thereof, employed with the roller shown in Figs. 11 and 12.

Referring first to the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 6, A designates a cup or reservoir, which may be made of glass, metal, or any other material found desirable for the purpose and which is closed at its upper end by a top wall a. Upon the top of the cup A is a hood or housing B, which serves to inclose and protect a felt-covered moistening-roller O. The latteris held loosely between the side walls I) of the hood and normally rests upon the top wall a of the cup, but is free to yield upwardly within the hood when lifted by the insertion of a paper or thelike between the said top wall aand the roller. To permit such introduction of envelops or other paper to be moistened, the hood is supported at its rear end only and is made overhanging at its front end or adjacent to the roller 0, the lower margins of its sides not touching the top wall a.

Moisture is applied to the roller 0 by means of a Wick O, which depends from the rear end of the roller and extends downwardly into the cup or reservoir A, through an aperture a in the top wall thereof, so that the water from the latter will be carried up by capillary attraction and supply the necessary moisture to the felt covering of the roller 0, with which the wick is in contact, as shown. The rear wall I? of the hood B is herein shown as curved outwardly to inclose the said aperture 0. and is provided (preferably at a point immediately above said aperture) with a nozzle b through which the cup A may be conveniently filled. Any suitable cork b may be conveniently used to plug said nozzle when not in use.

To provide for the insertion of the roller 0, the front end wall b of the hood is made removable, being herein shown as having its side and top edges turned over to form arim b which is adapted to inclose a marginal bead b on the hood. A central spindle 0, having a milled head 0, projects from the front end of the roller 0 through a central recess b in the lower margin of the front wall 19 and affords a convenient means of handling said roller. A ratchet mechanism for preventing said roller from rotating except in one direction is also in this instance provided, and as herein shown comprises a Vertically-arranged pawl D, mounted to slide within a guide-loop b on the front face of the end wall I). The lower end d of the pawl is forked to embrace the spindle c and is prov IOO the roller is rotated in one direction, the pawl rides over the teeth of the spindle and does not interfere with the rotary movement. \Vhen, however, the direction of the rotary movement is reversed, the pawl D is drawn down by the action of gravity until its spur 11 engages the ratchet and prevents a continuation of the rotary movement.

As herein shown, the roller C consists of a cylindric core or body C and an inclosing envelop or covering 0 of felt or similar absorbent material adapted to become soaked with moisture and to impart the same to the paper passed beneath the roller. The end of the wick C is inserted in a groove 0 in the core C and is preferably secured by sewing or otherwise to the inner surface of the felt envelop C or it may be secured in the groove 0 by a circular spring lying in the groove 0 in contact with the inner surface of the envelop C At the rear end of the roller the groove 0 is preferably sunk into the core 0 to the center thereof, (see Fig. 4,) so that the wick O merely revolves with the roller and has no up-and-down or sidewise motion at its point of juncture therewith. The core-covering C is held on the core between the narrow annular rim or flange c on the front end of the roller and the margin of the detachable washer O at the rear end thereof. Said washer is in this instance provided with a central aperture to snugly fit over a central cylindrical boss 0- on the inner end of the core and is provided with a radial slot 0 to receive the wick O, extending from said central aperture to the margin of the washer. By turning the washer C to a position such that the slot 0 stands at an angle with the slot 0 of the core, as, for example, in Fig. 4, the overlapping ends of the slot and groove are made to form in effect a central aperture, out through which the wick passes and by which it is held centrally of the core at its point of juncture therewith, while by turning the washer so that the slot 0 registers with the slot 0 of the core the wick may be readily removed. A weight 0 secured to the lower end of the wick and herein shown as made in the form of a ring, which is slipped upon the wick and fastened thereto by a crosspin 0 serves to keep said lower end of the wick submerged in the water within the cup.

In the use of this device when it is desired to moisten gummed surfaces, such as an envelop-fiap or label, it is preferable to pass them through the device from left to right or the direction in which the moistening-roll is free to revolve, and as the roll lies upon and revolves with the movement of such surfaces it therefore has the same surface speed. Hence there is no sliding action between them, the adhesive material is not removed from such gummed surface, and the moisteningsurface is not clogged and fouled as in the case with a stationary moistening-surface. \Vhen it is desired to moisten an ungummed surface, it is preferable to pass it through the device in the direction in which the moistening-roll is free to revolve for a distance sufficient to moisten the extent of surface desired and then reverse the movement, where upon the rotary movement of the roll will be stopped by the engagement of the ratchet mechanism, and the surface of said roll will slide upon the surface being moistened, thus imparting moisture very uniformly thereto. The reversal of the motion may be dispensed with, however, and the ratchet mechanism not employed, and instead the roll be free to revolve in both directions. In practice, however, the arrangement shown is preferable. The arrangement of the moistening-surface above the object being moistened is found to be of great advantage, as it is not necessary to turn thc'object bottom side up when applying the moisture.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a slightlymodified construction, in which an idle-roller E, of vulcanite, glass, or any other material, is arranged immediately below the moistening-roller O, with its axis parallel therewith. The upper surface of the roller E projects slightly above the top wall a of the cup, and the paper to be moistened is passed between the two rollers instead of between the moistening-roller O and the top wall a of the cup, as before. The plug Z1 is herein shown as secured by external screw-threads thereon engaging screw-threads in the upper end of the nozzle b Otherwise than as thus specified the operation of the device is exactly the same as in the device shown in Fig. 1.

In the construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the idle-roller E is replaced by a plurality of transversely-arranged curved ribs a which project slightly above the top wall a and serve to support the paper passed beneath the roller C. The ratchet mechanism shown in this instance is slightly different in the arrangement of its pawl D, which is pivoted at Z) to the front wall I) of the housing instead of being bodily movable within a guiding-loop thereon, as hereinbefore described. Obviously, however, any form of pawl suitable for the purpose may be employed as desired, although that shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7 is a preferred form.

The moistening-roller O, as shown in Figs. 7, S, 9, and 10, is slightly modified from the form previously shown and is more specifically illustrated in Figs. 11, 12, and 13. The core O of the rolleris shown in these figures as hollow from itsinnerend to a point about midway of its length, so as to leave merely a thin cylindrical shell 0 to support the inner end of the felt envelop. A longitudinal slot c in said shell enables the wick C to be sewed or otherwise attached to the inner surface of the felt and permits the easy removal of the latter without necessitating the detachment of said wick therefrom. The end washer O is provided with an inner cylindric boss 0 which fits closely within the end of the shell and is provided with a central aperture 0 out of which the wick 0 passes. A radial slot 0 enables the wick to be slipped into 5 said central aperture 0 but so narrow as to normally prevent the wick from slipping out of said central aperture after having been once placed therein. In practice the washer will be turned within the core after the wick to has been inserted, so that the radial slot 0 will not register with the slot C in the core.

In Figs. 9 and 10 the cup A is shown in two portions, united in any convenient manner at the dividing-line a This may sometimes I 5 be found desirable; but I prefer to form the hood and reservoir in one integral structure, as shown in the other figures.

, The moistening-roll need not necessarily consist of an absorbent envelop covering an inner core, but may be made of absorbent material throughout, and a spindle carrying the ratchet and knob may be inserted 'in the end of the same, or it may also be without either ratchet or knob, or both.

While I have herein described several modifications of construction, I do not wish to be limited thereto, but desire to have included within the scope of my invention as claimed all modifications and changes which will readily occur to the skilful mechanic.

Having now described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. A moistening device, comprising a cup and a wick attached to the roller and depending into the cup, substantially as described.

2. A moistening device, comprising a cup or reservoir, a roller mounted above said cup and provided with an envelop of absorbent material, and a wick in contact with said absorbent envelop, said wick extending down into the cup, substantially as described.

3. A moistening device, comprising a reservoir, a roller provided with a surface of absorbent material, an aperture in the end of the roller, and a wick passing through said aperture and connected at one end with the absorbent surface of the roller and having the other end extending down into the reservoir, substantially as described.

4. A moistening device comprising a cup or reservoir, a rollermounted above said cup and capable of free vertical movement, said roller being provided with a surface of absorbent material, and a wick in contact at one end with said absorbent surface and havor reservoir, a roller of absorbent material,

an aperture in said top wall, and a wick secured to the roller and depending through said aperture into the cup, substantially as described.

6. A moistening device, comprisinga cup or reservoir, a roller mounted upon said cup, a ratchet mechanism for normally limiting the rotary movement of said roller to one direction, and a wick attached to the roller and depending within the cup, substantially as described.

'7. A moistening device, comprising a cup or reservoir, having a hood thereon, a roller loosely mounted within said hood, an end wall of said hood consisting of a sliding plate, a recess in the lower edge of said plate, a spindle on the end of the roller projecting through said recess, ratchet-teeth on said spindle, and a ratchet-pawl on the face of the plate normally engaging said ratchet-teeth, substantially as described.

8. A moistening device, comprising a reservoir to contain a suitable liquid, a movable moistening-roller having a surface of suitable absorbent material, a wick extending from said reservoir and in contact with said absorbent surface, a hood integral with the res ervoir overhanging said roller, substantially as described.

9. Ina moistening device, a reservoir having a top wall, a roller mounted above the latter and covered with absorbent material, a wick extending from the reservoir to and in contact with said absorbent covering, and a raised surface above said top wall and in contact with the roller, substantially'as described.

10. In a moistening device, the combination of a reservoir, a rotating roller having its operative surface above the top wall of said reservoir, of a moistening-roller mounted above said first-mentioned roller and having a covering of absorbent material, and a wick extending from the reservoir to and in contact with said covering, substantially as described.

11. In a moistening device,the combination, with a reservoir, of a cylindriccore provided with an annular flange at one end and also with a longitudinal groove throughout a portion'of its length, of awasher engaging the unflanged end of said core, a slot in said washer communicating with an aperture therethrough, an absorbent covering or envelop on said core, and a wick passing through said aperture and extending within the longitudinal slot of the core in contact with the absorbent covering thereof, substantially as described.

12. The housing for a moistening device, comprising a hollow cup or reservoir having a top wall, as a, and an aperture therethrough, as a, a hood, as B, overhanging said top wall and provided at its rear end with a nozzle, all one integral structure, substantially as described.

13. A moistening device, comprising a cup or reservoir having a hood thereon, a roller my invention I alfix my signature in presence loosely mounted within the hood, and proof two Witnesses. Vided with a surface of absorbent material, and a wick in contact with said surface and WILLIAM MOSELEY' 5 depending within the cup, substantially as Vitnesses:

described. TAYLOR E. BROWN,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as XVILLIAM LOVELL. 

